KRG Representation in Poland held in its headquarters opening of photo exhibition “suffering and hope” by father Dariusz Smolenski and Monika Pietkiewicz. Pictures were taken in autumn 2016 during the travel to Kurdistan with humanitarian convoy.

The event was attended by representatives of diplomatic corps, politicians, charity organizations, journalists, Kurdish diaspora and many other guests interested in photography. Bishop Rabban al-Qas from Duhok was a special guests at the event.

Opening of the exhibition has begun with a short speech given by KRG Representative Ziyad Raoof. He welcomed guests, talked about the circumstances of taking those photographs and also cited the latest statistics on refugees in Kurdistan. He emphasized that due to the war damages, lack of funds for reconstruction and terror of Shia militia refugees have nowhere to get back from the camps and many families, after trying to return to Mosul, decided to flee to Kurdistan again.

Dariusz Smoleński spoke about pain and sorrow captured on pictures but there is also happiness of small things. Co-author of the pictures remarked that it should be the reason of reflection for Europeans who live in affluence but they are often unhappy. Dariusz Smoleński stressed that the exhibition is a gesture of solidarity with refugees in the camps and aims to sensitize the audience to their fate. He announced the presentation of this exhibition in other Polish cities.

Bishop Rabban- special guest of the event- also took a voice focusing on present situation in Kurdistan. He spoke about the unchanging dream and purpose of the Kurds, that is independence. He noted with pain that the world supported the Kurds, when they fought against terrorists, but after the independence referendum turned away from them. Bishop Rabban talked about the tolerance and respect of the Kurds to all denominations and ethnic groups and their desire to live in peace, at the same time he reminded that the rights of Christians in Iraq are violated and they fall victim to persecution.